Food, sunshine and the best people-watching in the world. Oh Miami, we are going to miss you.
Updated: Jun 20, 2023
Our love affair with Miami is coming to an end.
We started visiting the vibrant, colorful Florida city four years ago when our oldest son D.J. moved there to begin orthopedic residency.
Since then, we have spent numerous family vacations there and managed to sneak in a few weekend trips throughout the year.
Miami is a special place, and if you’ve never been, you should add it to your bucket list.
Its cultural diversity and coastal flare make for an exceptional food scene, and with abundant sunshine and gorgeous beaches, there is never a shortage of fun things to do.
And the people-watching is over-the-top extraordinary.
D.J. will complete residency next summer, then head to Chicago for a one-year fellowship, which means we will be swapping bathing suits for long johns. But the upside is that we will have a new city to visit.
Until then, we will visit Miami as often as we can. In fact, we just returned home after spending a few glorious days there with the family.
If you happen to be planning a trip to this fantastic city, here are a few of our favorite places.
WHERE TO DINE
Our hands down favorite place to dine is Byblos, an Eastern Mediterranean restaurant with a relaxed, sophisticated setting.
The menu is full of amazing choices like hummus served with beef tenderloin, pomegranate, roasted pine nuts and pita bread, Hamachi, Spanish octopus, black truffle pide, branzino and lamb.
The family-style fare is absolutely the best we have ever tasted, but I’m not sure it’s a place young kids would enjoy.
If it’s an experience you’re after, make a reservation at Barton G.
The best way to describe this restaurant (with another location in Los Angeles) is comfort food served with a whimsical, contemporary twist.
Think seafood bubble bath, samurai salmon, light ‘em up lobster ‘n grits and shellshocked BBQ short ribs.
The Kids took The Husband there for dessert for Father’s Day and it was an experience we will never forget.
We sat on Barton G.’s Instagram worthy patio surrounded by crystal chandeliers and dramatic palms. I kept waiting for Alice in Wonderland or the Madd Hatter to come strolling out, but they never showed.
We ordered the Barton Vintage Carnival served with red velvet funnel cakes, deep-fried corndog style Snickers and Oreo cookies and chocolate ice cream with dipping sauces.
And because we couldn’t resist, we also ordered The Poppin Cherry Pie, served with an old fashion cherry crumb pie, almond cream, amaretto streusel and vanilla ice cream.
And OMG, what fun we had!
We rolled out of there wishing we didn’t have to squeeze into a bathing suit the next day, but it was worth every bite.
WHERE TO STAY
We have stayed at several great resort-style hotels in Miami like the Four Seasons and Fountainebleau.
But last week we stayed somewhere new: Loews in Miami Beach.
The ocean-front location is in the heart of the art deco district and a short walk from some amazing shopping.
This family-friendly resort is large, but only has one pool.
The good news is that you will always find a beach or poolside chair because Loews doesn’t sell day passes.
The hotel’s on-site bars and restaurants are fantastic and the service is top-notch.
WHERE ARE YOU GOING THIS SUMMER?
Everyone loves to hear about great places to visit.
If you’re planning a summer vacation – whether it’s in the states or abroad – and want to share your experience and travel tips, send an email to sara@beneaththesurfacenews.com and I will post it to Beneath the Surface News.
And don’t forget to include a picture.
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